LONDON — Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson apologized Monday for letting pedophile billionaire businessman Jeffrey Epstein pay back some of her debt.

Ferguson said it was a “gigantic error of judgment” to accept help from Epstein, as the pressure on her ex-husband Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, mounted after his links with the US financier became public.

The duke’s future as a UK trade envoy was in doubt following reports that he met with Epstein in New York in 2010 and had known him since the early 1990s.

Epstein, 58, was accused of sex offenses by a number of underage girls and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Ferguson, popularly known as “Fergie,” admitted that Epstein paid £15,000 ($24,000) toward the £78,000 she owed to her former personal assistant, Johnny O’Sullivan.

“I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me,” she said in an interview with London’s Evening Standard newspaper. “I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

Ferguson’s apology came after British prime minister David Cameron expressed “full confidence” in the prince’s role as trade envoy, despite Business Secretary Vince Cable saying in an earlier interview Monday that the government would have “conversations” with him about his future.

“We are not reviewing that role in any way. The government’s position is very clear: that we support him in his role as trade envoy. He has made a very important contribution to UK trade through the role and continues to do so. We think he makes a valuable contribution and so does British business,” a spokesman for Cameron said.

Epstein personally offered to pay off some of Ferguson’s debt, but he did not speak with her directly, instead dealing with the duke’s office to arrange the payment.

“This is the first time ever in my life, and I mean ever, that I have been debt-free. It allows me to go forward to do what I do — being a good mother, a philanthropist for children and also an author of children’s books,” Ferguson said.

It is not the first time Ferguson has had to apologize for her financial dealings. She was caught in a News of the World sting last May promising an undercover reporter that she would arrange access to the duke in exchange for £500,000.

But she was able to pay back her estimated $7 million in debt after doing a reality series, “Finding Sarah,” for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable network. Ferguson made an emotional appearance on Oprah following the embarrassing sting that led to the series.

Meanwhile, the prince, despite vocal calls Monday for him to step down, was standing firm, according to Sky News sources.

“The Duke of York remains committed to his role as Britain’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. He recognizes his meeting with Jeffrey Epstein last year was unwise, and it’s understood that government supports him in his role,” the sources said.

Some of Prince Andrew’s other personal and business relations also came under scrutiny in recent days. The opposition Labour Party’s justice spokesman, Chris Bryant, urged Cameron to review the duke’s position as trade ambassador after claiming he was “a very close friend” of Saif al Islam Ghadafi, son of Libyan leader Moamar Ghadafi. He was also coming under pressure for giving hospitality at Buckingham Palace to Sakher el Materi, the son-in-law of Tunisia’s deposed president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The disclosures threaten to cause embarrassment for the British royal family just weeks before the April 29 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, in which Andrew, as the groom’s uncle, will be expected to take a prominent role.